Static spark started fire that heavily damaged Cuyahoga Falls factory

CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio - An early morning fire at a Cuyahoga Falls factory heavily damaged the building Friday.

It began at around 4:15 a.m. at the Technicote factory on Marc Drive. All the employees were able to get out safely: no one was hurt.

The plant was full of paper rolls, glue and silicone used to coat label stock. Technicote supplies that stock for other companies.

According to a Technicote spokesman, during a routine changeover of silicone, the material was accidentally hit by a static spark, and firefighters had a real challenge on their hands.

"It was through the roof already when we got here and we knew a building using solvents and inks and dyes as they do here that the fire spread was going to be very expedient," Cuyahoga Falls Assistant Fire Chief Fred Jackson told NewsChannel5’s Scott Newell.

Several fire departments helped fight the fire. As morning passed into afternoon, huge rolls of paper continued to burn. Demolition crews began the process of saving what could be saved.

Mike Rysh, a maintenance tech at the plant, is one of about 45 employees affected.

"It's devastating 'cause it's Christmas time and it's the holidays and you were working yesterday and today you can see it,” Rysh said. “It's just, it's heartbreaking."

Technicote president Doug O'Connell was also on site, trying to evaluate what parts of the plant could be salvaged.

"We're trying to determine what we can do here,” O’Connell said. “It's too soon to say exactly what we're going to do with all the employees located here."

The company has nine manufacturing and distribution locations, including another in Ohio.

O’Connell said they were trying to figure out how they can satisfy their customers with the capacity they have in their other locations.